FOR the second straight year competitors competing in one of the Central West's biggest bike races have been airlifted for treatment for serious injuries sustained in crashes.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Two competitors in Sunday's Blayney 2 Bathurst were flown to Sydney hospitals after six riders crashed and came down in a group on Cow Flat Road in the cycling competition.
St John Ambulance personnel were first on the scene, with NSW Ambulance activating an emergency response after receiving a triple-zero call from commissaries following the riders.
A spokesperson for NSW Ambulance said the triple-zero call came through just after 10.35am, with seven road units and two air rescue units sent to the scene.
MAP: The road where the incident occurred ...
The group of riders were heading south towards Trunkey Creek Road, on Cow Flat Road, when they became caught up and came crashing down. It is estimated the riders would have been travelling between 35km/h and 45km/h when they came off their bikes.
Initially it was thought only two riders were injured, but that was soon updated to six, one of whom was suffering a suspected spinal injury, another with suspected head injury.
Among the patients treated at the scene were a 20-year-old man with a fracture to the clavicle, a 32-year-old who sustained significant facial injuries including missing teeth, a 58-year-old male who suffered a dislocated shoulder and a 35-year-old male suffering a decreasing level of consciousness.
Two other riders were also treated by paramedics at the scene, but their injuries were not reported.
A spokesperson for NSW Ambulance said three of the patients were transported via road ambulance to Orange hospital, and another one was transported via road ambulance to Bathurst hospital.
Another patient was airlifted from the scene by helicopter and taken to Westmead hospital, while the final patient was taken via road ambulance straight to Bathurst airport for transfer to Sydney via a fixed-wing aircraft.
Despite Sunday's rain, the event continued under guidelines devised by Cycling NSW, Cycling Australia and the UCI.
Mayor of Bathurst Graeme Hanger said the safety and well-being of competitors, officials, volunteers and event staff was foremost, adding conditions which might cause an event to be cancelled, suspended or modified included extreme temperatures, fog, frost, hail and ice, flooding, snow, strong winds, thunder and lighting storms and torrential rain.
Last year's accident occurred just outside Barry, and ended up with four riders hospitalised.
DO YOU WANT MORE ORANGE AND DISTRICT NEWS?
- Receive our free newsletters delivered to your inbox, as well as breaking news alerts. Sign up below ...